Sardine Pasta

Sardine is a common household item here in the Philippines.  We have all kinds, in tomato sauce, in water, in oil and all types of fish.  This is a very simple and budget-friendly recipe, so simple it only takes three steps to prepare, and all of the ingredients are already available in your pantry.  If you like sardines, the one in can with tomato sauce, then this dish is for you.  You can use any brand of sardines you would like.  I used a local brand here in the Philippines, in tomato sauce.  This dish I make almost once a week.  So, if you're in a hurry and want something tasty yet easy to prepare, why not try this dish and see for yourself.

Ingredients:
one 155 gram sardines in tomato sauce
one serving of cooked pasta, use any kind
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 bulbs of garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese

Procedure:
In a saucepan, melt butter.  Saute onion and garlic until the onion is lightly transparent.  Add the sardines and stir and cook for about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and toss in the cooked pasta.  Transfer on plate and top with grated cheese.

See, so simple.  Enjoy!

Chicken Fettuccine

A very festive dish.  This chicken fettuccine recipe is anything but simple.  My cousin, Jen, actually taught me this recipe, so thanks a lot cuz!  Love lots!  The recipe is good for 20 persons or more, so you can adjust the recipe for smaller group.

Ingredients:
1 kilo fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package direction
1 cup chicken hotdog, sliced
1 small can button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup bacon, chopped
1 whole chicken breast
1/2 cup butter
1 can cream of condensed chicken
1 cup all purpose cream
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

Procedure:
Boil and cook chicken breast in 2 cups of water.  Once cooked, remove from bone and cut into strips or bite size.  Reserve 1 cup of the chicken stock.

In a large saucepan with a little bit of oil, cook the bacon until lightly crispy.  Add in the butter and saute garlic and onion until translucent.  Add button mushrooms and let it cook for about a minute.  Put in the sliced hotdogs and cook for another minute.

Next, add the all purpose cream, cream of condensed chicken, evaporated milk, chicken strips and chicken stock.  Mix well and let it cook until it starts to boil.  Add in the cheddar cheese and Italian seasoning and continue to cook until the cheese has completely melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  When the mixture has thickened a little, remove from heat and top on your fettuccine pasta.  Serve and enjoy.

Tuna Carbonara

Carbonara is an Italian dish which consists of pasta, egg, bacon and cheese.  But here in the Philippines, any pasta dish that has a white sauce is called carbonara.  The sauce is this recipe is versatile in that you can use any kind of pasta.  In this dish I used spaghetti pasta.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo spaghetti pasta, cooked according to package direction
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped bacon
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 can tuna flakes in oil
1 cup all purpose cream
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp minced parsley leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
In a saucepan, heat butter and cook bacon until crispy.  Scoop bacon out of the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, saute onion and garlic until onion is lightly translucent.  Add in the sliced mushrooms and cook for about a minute.  Add in the all purpose cream and evaporated milk.  Mix well and when the sauce starts to boil, add in the tuna flakes, oil included.  Mix and add in the cheddar cheese.  Add in about 3/4 of the cooked bacon and chopped parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking, mixing continuously, until the sauce is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and top on cooked pasta.  Garnish with cooked bacon and chopped parsley.